Rotary engine



(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. L. PAGENHART.

ROTARY ENGINE.

120262722. Patents. 1120.5. 1882.

7 v a E J v 2 6 a 1 I g 1% no Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 2. O. L. PAGENHART.

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 268,722. v Patented Dec. 5, 1882.

(N o Model.) 3 Sheets- Bheet 3.

0. L. PAGENHART.

"30mm ENGINE.

N0.'268,722. Patented Dec. 5, 1882.

N. PETERijhokrLilhngnphur. wnhin m n.c.

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES L. PAGENHART, OF BOYOEVILLE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO DAVID E. CLARKE, OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY ENCilNE.v

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 268,722, dated December 5, 1882, Application filed March 30, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern; 7

Be it known that I, ()nARLEs L. PAGEN- HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boyceville, in the county of Clarke and State of Virginia, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines; and I do. hereby the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

1 The object of this invention is to improve and simplify the construction of rotary engines so as to effect an economy in the quantity of steam required, and at the same time impart steady and uniform motion to the piston;

26 and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a plan or top view 2 of my improved rotary engine. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4: is an innerview of one half or side of the cylinder, showing the steam-ports, and also the seats for the ends of the sliding 3o cylinder-heads. Fig. 5 is an inner view of the other half or side of the cylinder, showing a side view of the rotary piston and end views of the sliding cylinder-heads. Fig. 6 is a horizontal longitudinal section of one-side of the engine. Fig. 7 represents detail views of the steam-ports. Fig.8 illustrates the construction of the sliding cylinder-heads and their connections. Fig. 9 is a detail showing the manner of packing the edges of the sliding 0 cylinder-heads, and Fig. 10 illustrates a form of mechanism employed for reversing the motion of the piston.

Like letters are used to designate the same parts in the several views.

The cylinder is composed of two halves, which are flanged and rabbeted, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when united and secured by the bolts to tight joints will be formed. These half-cylinders or parts AA are accurately fit- 5o ted together, and are provided internally with a rounded annular space, a, in which works I the rotary piston B, which is keyed to ashatt,

O, that passes through the cylinder. The faces of the rotary piston B are of a circular form corresponding with the circular cross- 5 5 section of the space or chamber a, as shown in Fig. 2, and said faces are inclined toward each other from without inward, as shown in Fig. 5, for the purpose hereinafter explained. The piston B hasa hub or ring, B, preferably provided with collars b b, by means of which it is attached to the shaft 0, and these collars revolve within circular recesses a, that are formed in the central inwardly-projecting portions or hubs, a of the cylinder-halves A A, '6 5 respectively. This construction, as illustrated in Figs. 2, at, and 5, affords a firm bearing for the rotary piston and secures the advantages of a close steam-tight chamber within which said piston is operated.

To the shaft 0, exterior to the cylinder, is attached a cam, D, having an eccentric groove, (1, which engages on each side of the engine with a roller, 0, journaled to a cross-head, E, which is adapted to slide horizontally on the guide-rods e e, that are supported in a suitable frame, A attached. to or connected with the semi-cylinder A. The cross-headE carries a. stem, e, to which is loosely attached a horizontally-sliding cylinder-head, F, which is arranged in a shallow chamber, G, that communicates with the interior of the cylinder by means of a horizontal slit or opening in the semi-cylinder A. These sliding heads or division-plates, F, are arranged one on each side, 8 5 and are adapted to pass alternately into the annular space or chamber a within the cylinder, where they form alternately a foothold for the expansion of steam against the rotary piston. Theform of'theslidingheads or plates 0 F is shown in Fig. 8. These plates have a semicircular or curved outline at each end corresponding with the walls of the annular space or chamber to within which they fit, the parallel sides or edges of the plates being elon- 5 gated and grooved for the reception of a suit- I able packing, f, which preferably consists of a strip ofspring metal, and is arranged as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Byemploying a strip of metal or other spring-packing for this purpose the 'plate, when projected into the cylinder, is held firmly againstthe hub of the piston. The plate c, said collar fitting loosely within the slot adjoining the perforated shoulder g, through which the stem 12 passes. By this means the sliding plate has a loose connection with its stem, and is thereby enabled to adjust itself more readily in entering its seat t in the seinicylinder A, even if the parts should not be perfectly and accurately fitted. The shallow chambers G G, in which the sliding plates or cylinder-heads-F F are placed, are each providedwith Wi1,],llibhiil which the shoulder 9 and collar Ii are enabled t'o'"passfthe" space within the remaining portion of each chamber being only suflicient to accommodate its respective plate F and allow it to operate freely without undue friction.

On the outer side of the semi-cylinder A are formed or attached the steam-chests H H, which communicate with the interior of the cylinder through the ports at m, the port on one side opening into the cylinder above the seat of the sliding cylinder head or plate F, and on the other side at a point below the corresponding'plate. The relative arrangement of these steam-chests is shown in Fig. 3, in which the outer caps or coverings are removed to show the valves governing the respective ports. A horizontal section of the same is shdwn in Fig. 6; and Fig. 7 is a vertical elevation, in which the steam-chest is laid open to illustrate more clearly the arrangement of the inlet and exhaust openings. These steam-chests may each be constructed in any suitable manner-either in one piece, in which event they will be cored or chambered to form the necessary passages, or they may be formed in several pieces suitably connected. Within each steam-chest H and communicating with the horizontal port or opening at is a vertical chamber or recess, 0, adjoining'which is a larger vertical chamher or recess,p, that communicates with the exhaust s, that may be arranged either above the steam-chest H, as shown on one side of Fig. 3, or below the chest, as shown on the other sideof said figure. Preferably, however, the exhausts on both sides are placed below the steam-chests, and then carried downward in contact with the lower portion of the cylinder and united in a common exit.

In the outer end of each steam-chest H is a valve-chamber, I, in which is arranged a recessed valve, K, adapted to govern the open in gs or ports in the rear ends of the chambers or recesses 0 p, the valves being so arranged as to admit steam to the cylinder and exhaust the same alternately on opposite sides. The stemsrof these valves are connected by alink or yoke, L, which is passed around the shaft (J and connected with an eccentric, M, attached thereto, so that as the shaft 0 is revolved by the rotary piston B a reciprocating motion will be imparted to the yoke by means of its connection with said eccentric, thus simultaneously sliding the valves K K from side to side,and thereby controlling the entrance and exit of steam to and from the cylinder. The steam-chests are supplied with steam through the bifurcated pipe N, which communicates preferably with the upper portions of the valvechambers I, but may be arranged in any other convenient manner according to circumstances.

It will'be observed that when steam is admitted to the cylinder through the port in on one side the sliding cylinder-head F on that side will be projected across the annular space or chamber a" in position to form a foothold for the steam in its expansion against the adjacent face of the rotary piston B, thus driv- *ing the same forwartl.""'The motion thus imparted to the piston is transmitted to the shaft G, which actuates the cam D, by means of which the slidingcylinder-headsFare moved in and out. The motion of the shaft 0 is also comm unicated by means of the eccentric M to the yoke L, which simultaneously actuates the valves K K, causing them to move from side to side, so as to open and close the ports, and thereby alternately admit steam to the cylinder and exhaust the same. As the piston B continues its rotation the cylinder heads or plates F are thus alternately moved in and out at prop'r intervals and with such regularity and precision of movement as will insure practically a uniform space for the expansion of steam, thus causing the piston to rotate steadily.

It will also be seen that the piston is always acted upon by a uniform pressure, the sliding valves K K being so arranged as to admit at all times a quantity of steam equal to the capacity of one full port, because when one port is entirely closed the other will be entirely open, and when one is partially closed the other will be open to an extent sufficient to make the quantity of steam admitted by both equal to that admitted by one full port. The steam admitted to the valve-chamber I of the steamchest H is passed through the ports 0 m to the interior of the cylinder, and the exhaust is passed back through the ports m 0 and recessed portion of the valve K to the port or chamber 1), and thence to the exhaust-exit 8, either above or below the steam-chest.

It will be seen that'the horizontal position of the inner ports m, acting in connection with the inclined faces of the piston, enables the piston in passing said ports'to be subjected instantly to the pressure of steam admitted through the same, the entire area of the port being uncovered at once.

The piston is provided with a suitable packing, t, that prevents the passage of steam inward to the shaft upon which the piston is secured, the edges of the sliding plate F being also provided with a packing, f and a cap or washer, to, is passed around the stems e of said plates, so that escape of steam from the cylinder and its connections is effectually prevented, except when directed through the exhaust-openings.

In order to provide a means of reversing the engine, I may arrange theports in so that there will be two on each side, as shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 4:, and also form an intermediate chamber, P, in the semi-cylinder A, between said ports and the exhaust and inlet chambers or openings. Within the chamber P,in contact with the ports m, as shown in Fig. 10, is a valve, Q, having a rod, R, which is connected with an ordinary reversing-bar, so that the engineer, by operating said valve Q, can control the passage of steam through the upper and lower ports, m, on either side, and thereby alter the direction in which the pressure of the steam is exerted against the rotary piston.

When communicating power from the engine to other points the shaft'O may be provided with suitable pulleys or wheels arranged in any convenient manner.

It is also obvious that the engine maybe employed to advantage for the purpose of propelling locomotives and steamships by making the necessary connections between the shaft 0 and the driving-wheels of a locomotive or the paddle-wheels or screw of a vessel.

An engine of this construction, while occupying but a small space, is simple and efficient in operation. ted to the cylinder is exerted upon the piston immediately and uniformly, the pressure being the same at all points. It is therefore obvious that the engine may be started at full speed, if desired, while the rotation of the piston will continue with a uniform motion as long as steam is supplied tothe cylinder.

It will also be observed that the quantity of steam required is much less than ordinary, owing to the arrangement of the ports and the employment in connect-iontherewith of the sliding plates or cylinder-heads.

Having thus described my invention, what Theforce of the steam admit I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of acylinder composed of the parts AA, said cylinder having the horizon tally-elongated ports mm and slotted seats it, the shallow chamhers G G, arranged parallel with each other at one side of the cylinder and communicating therewith, the shaft 0, the piston B. and grooved cam D, mounted on said shaft, the frame A having guide-rods e 0 arranged on each side of the engine, cross-headsEE adapted to slide on said guides, and having rollers 0 arranged to engage with the grooved cam, the stems or rods 0 0, attached to the cross-heads, and the sliding plates F F, having a loose connection with said stems, all substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of the cylinder A A, having horizontally-elongated ports m m and slotted seats'i i, the shaft 0, carr in eccentric M iston B and grooved cam D, the parallel sliding plates F F, arranged horizontally in shallow chambers G G, communicating with the cylinder, the cross-heads E E, connected to said plates by means of rods 6 e, and adapted to be actuated by the cam, so as to project the platesalternately across the interior of the cylinder, the steam-chests H H, having inlet and exhaust passages connected with the ports m m, the valves K K, and the link L, connecting the valve-rods to the eccentric, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

'In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES LEON PAGENHART, Witnesses: PHILIP MAURO,

' A. R. BROWN. 

